- 150g white basmati rice
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 leek
- 250g diced chicken leg
- A thumb of ginger
- 1 chilli
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 bay leaf
- 150g Greek style yogurt
- 2 tsp mild curry powder
- 35g cashews
- 100g baby leaf spinach
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 400ml boiling water
- 1.
Heat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 8. Tip the rice into a bowl. Cover with cold water. Set aside to soak.
- 2.
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a shallow, ovenproof casserole dish or roasting tin. Slide into the oven to heat. Take the leaves off the cauliflower and break it into small florets, chopping any stems into bite-size pieces. Trim and halve the leek. Rinse out any grit then finely slice it.
- 3.
Add the cauliflower and leek to the casserole dish with the diced chicken leg. Toss to coat in the oil. Season with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 mins.
- 4.
While the veg and chicken roast, peel and grate the ginger. Finely chop the chilli, flicking out the seeds and white bits for less heat. Crumble the stock cube into a heatproof jug. Add the chilli and ginger.
- 5.
Add 2 tsp of curry powder to the jug. Stir in 400ml boiling water. Turn the oven down to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
- 6.
Drain the rice. Take the dish out of the oven and stir in the rice. Pour in the spiced vegetable stock. Add 1 bay leaf and season with a little salt and pepper. Cover with a lid (or use foil if you don’t have a lid). Bake in the oven for 25 mins till all the stock has been absorbed.
- 7.
While the biryani cooks, warm a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cashews and toast for 2-3 mins till golden brown. Tip out of the pan and let them cool a little, then roughly chop them.
- 8.
Fish the bay leaf out of the rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Fork in the spinach to just wilt it. Serve the biriyani in warm bowls topped with the chopped cashews and a spoonful of yogurt.
